Vending machine



L. c. GRAHAM v 2,522,033

VENDING MACHINE Sept. 12, 1950 Filed July 1 1949 a Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR LELAND C. GRAHAM ATTORNEY p 2,1950 L. c. GRAHAM 2,522,033

VENDING MACHINE Filed July 1 1949 s Sheets-Sheet 2 65 1 s2 74 4 y/ 49 33, 4s yrf I 53 55 3| 32 3o 29 47 62 5 m Y 5 a3 5 67 66 75 2 68 7e 77 9 N L $9 "I 6 38 o 40 72 n! 4 v60\ 6| s9 34 s 7| fi .I 62A '6. /|5 r 3 63A 35 43 39 I a "WE fin. WI [:7 LELAND c. GRAHAM 5 avg? 2 ATTORNEY p 1959 c. GRAHAM 2,522,033-

- vmuums MACHINE Filed July 1 1949 s Sheets-Sheet 3 6g 5 6 6 6g 93 e5 I 1 I [Imp kmmm- I INVENTOR LELAND C. GRAHAM ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 12, 1950 VENDING maomm:

I Leland Graham, Salem, Oreg.

Applioationilul'y, 1, 1949, serial No. 102,569

13 Claims.

My invention relates to vending machines and 2 papers, magazines and the like.

is particularlyadapted for the vending of newsa The primary object of my invention is to pro 7 vide a machine for vending newspapers, magazines and the like, one at a time, controlled by a coin actuator or release.

Another object of my invention is the providing of a vending machine located accessible to the public and providing protection for the papers or magazines being vended.

With my new and improved vending machine papers or magazines can be made accessible tothe public either inside or out of buildings; ofiering complete protection to the articles being vended, saving the customer's time and greatly increasing the sale of the article.

In the operation of the'vender, the customer: inserts a coin, pulls a lever and the paper or magazine is presented to the customer one at a time.

These and other incidental objects will be apparent in the drawings, specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings:' v Figure l is a perspective outsideview of my ends and threaded overthe idler pulley", which 'isjournalled to the frame 2.

new and improved vender, being operated by a customer, presenting him with a paper. a

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail view of the counterbalancing' cable reel, partially broken away for convenience of illustration.

Figure 3 is a side view of my new and improved vending machine, having most of the outer casing broken away and partially in section through various parts otherwise.

Figure 4 is a plan view of my new and improved vender, taken on line 4--| of Figure 3. This view is revolved to the right, or clockwise on the sheet 90 degrees from that shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional detail view, taken on line 5-5 of FigureB, looking in the direction indicated.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail of Referring more specifically to the drawings:

, My new and improved paper and magazine vending machine consists of a cabinet J. Lo-

cated within the cabinet adjacent, its top is a transverse bridge or framework 2. One of its ends is secured to the rear 3 of the cabinet at 4, while its opposite end is secured to, the front of the cabinet 5 at 6.

Mounted vertically within the cabinet is a worm shaft 1, its lower end being journalled" within a bearing 8, while its upper end is journalled within the bearing 9 fixedly secured withinthe bridge or frame 2 at It, referring to Figures 3 and 4. A paper or. magazine shelf II is threadablymounted to the worm shaft 1 by way of the elongated internally threaded sleeve l2, which."

forms part of the shelf II, the shelf being reenforced to the sleeve by way of the gusset plate l3. The weight of the shelf H and the papers or magazines I4 is supported by the cable l5, which is fixedly secured to the shelf at 15 at one of its The opposite end l8 of the said cable is wrapped about the cable drum 19., The cable drum I 9 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 20 which is journalled withinv the housing 2l,-the said housing 2 housing the spiral spring 22. The spiral spring 22 hasone of its ends connected to the shaft 20 at 23 in the usualmanner, and its opposite end secured to the housing 2| at 24. I r

A pawl 25 is fixedly secured to the shaft 2|] by way of the crank 26. This pawl engages the ratchet wheel 21 which forms part of the cablev drum I9. A crank 28 is fixedly secured to the shaft 20 and when revolved in one direction will wind the spring 22. When the handle 28 is released the pawl 25 will engage the ratchet wheel the guides associated with the paper moving shoe,

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken through the dispensing slot of the vending machine, illustrating a paper being vended therethrough.

21 tending to wind the cable l5 upon the drum lifting the platform II. The amount of lift will depend upon how tightly the spring 22 is wound against the pull on the cable. The pull on the cable is suflicient to raise the platform I l and the papers I. I

By using a reel as shown in Figures 2 and 3, as

the platform is pulled up by the reel the tension 28, the desired balance may be maintained, in-

on the spring within the reel will decrease, at the same time the platform raises the load of papers on the same will be reduced,'therefore an automatic balance is maintained regarding the platform H and the reel and for the various weights of papers or magazines by the tightening.

or loosening of the spring 22 by way of the crank suring smooth operation of the machine.

" OFFICE The platform II is permittedto raise by way of the pull of the cable |5 by the worm shaft I in the following manner. Fixedly secured to the top of the 's'haft is a ratchet wheel 29. Referring to Figures 3 and 4 a pawl 30 is formed on one end of a bifurcated bar 3|. The bar 3| is pivotally mounted to the bracket 32 forming part of the frame 2 at 33. Located on each of its bifurcated ends. 34 are rollers 35. These rollers are adapted to ride upon the pile of papers l4.

When the paper is vended the rollers 35 will drop down to the next level. This will unlock the pawl 30 from the ratchet wheel 29 permitting the worm shaft I to be revolved by the upward pressure of the tubular sleeve l2 through the action of the pull on the cable l5 by the cable drum Hi. This action may take place when one or more papers are vended, but as the pile of papers rise, the bifurcated bar 3| is raised bringing the pawl 30 into engagement with the ratchet wheel 29 stopping the rotation of the worm shaft 1 and preventing the upward movement of the platform II and its load of papers. The papers are guided by the vertical guide rods 36 and 31. Referring to Figure 3, the guide rods 31 are adjusted to permit the top paper 33 to clear the same, but the guide rods 36 may move on up embracing all of the papers. All of the said guide rods are adjustable over the bottom of the cabinet so they can be adapted to various sizes of papers or magazines being vended.

I will now describe the actual dispensing or vending of a paper. A shoe 33, referring to Figures 3 and 5, is slidably operated within the frame 2. This shoe is guided therein by the upwardly extending legs 40, which form a part thereof. The said legs have rollers 4| journalled to their upper ends and operating within guideways 42 associated with the bridge 2. A connecting rod 43 is iournalled to the legs 40 by the wrist pin 44 at its one end and pivotally connected to the lever 45 at 45 to its opposite end. The lever 45 forms part of a gear 41 which is journalled to the upwardly extending brackets 48 forming part of the bridge 2. These brackets may also be connected to the case I, referring to Figures 3, 4 and 7.

The arm 45 is rotated by the gear 41 in the following manner. A shaft 49 is journalled within the bracket 48 at its one end and passes through the coin actuator box mechanism 50 at its opposite end, and out through the side 5| of the cabinet I terminating in a crank 52. Fixedly secured to its opposite end is a crank 53 and rotatably mounted to the shaft is a gear 54. A pawl 55 is pivotally connected to the lever 53 at 56 and is forced towards the teeth 51 by a spring 58.

I will now describe the operation of the movement of the shoe 39. Referring to Figure 3, the shoe is located as shown, having moved the top paper 38 towards the rear of the cabinet and from under the lip 59. The lip 59 being located transversely of the cabinet and adjacent the slotted opening 60. An upper transverse lip 5| is pivotally mounted to the brackets 52 at 53. This lip prevents access to the paper through the slot 50 when the machine is in the position as indicated. The edge 62A of the said lip resting within the offset 53A of the lip 59 when in the inoperative position indicated in Figure 3. The offset 83A prevents raising the lip 6| from any outside object.

In order to vend the paper or magazine, the shoe 3! is moved from the position shown in Figure 3 towards the front of the cabinet or slot 60, Figure 6, pulling the paper 38 with it by the action of the sharp points 64, referring to Figure 5, or by any other suitable frictional facing secured to the bottom of the shoe. In order to pull the shoe forward a coin is inserted by way of the coin slot 65, causing the mechanism within the coin box 53 to permit the rotation of the shaft 49 when the lever 52 is pulled towards the operator. This will cause the crank 53 to rotate the pawl 55 and the idler gear wheel 54, rotating the gear 41 and the arm 45 in the direction of the arrow. This will move the rollers 4| associated with the legs 40 of the shoe 39 along the guideways 66 and over the spring 51. The spring 61 will force the rollers 4| up into the inclined guideways 68 on reaching the end of the guideways 66.

A cable 69 is secured at its one end to the spring 10 and trained about the idler pulley I I, having its opposite end connected to the shoe at 12. At the time that the roller 4| entered the inclined slot 68 the pawl 55 was released from the teeth 51 of the gear 54 by the action of the arm 13 of the pawl striking the pin 14, the said pin being mounted to the framework of the machine, therefore due to the pull of the spring 10 on the cable 69, the shoe will be returned to the position shown in Figure 3.

The guide roller 4| travels along the guideway 15 and down through the diagonal guide way 16 through the spring guide I1 into the original guide way 66. When the guide roller passes out of the inclined guide way 16 the shoe 39 engages the top paper and as the shoe is pulled to the right along the horizontal guideway 56 the paper will be moved to the position indicated in Figure 3 ready to be vended.

In order to prevent the lever 52 returning to its starting position before the shoe has been moved its full travel in vending the paper, a ratchet pawl 18 is pivotally mounted to the framework at 19, and is adapted to engage the ratchet teeth 80, which are formed on the hub 8| of the crank 53.

When the pawl 55 was released from the teeth 51 of the gear 54, this gear as well as the crank arm 45 was returned to the position shown in Figure 3 as above described. A stop 82 forming part of the arm 45 engages the arm 83 of the pawl 18 disconnecting the same from the teeth permitting the handle 52 to return to its starting position by the action of the spring 84, referring to Figure 4.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many modifications thereof are possible. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except in so far as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A paper dispensing machine comprising a platform to support a pile of papers, a vertical screw mounted adjacent the platform, a threaded element extending from the platform and with which the screw engages, a spring-actuated drum, a flexible connection between the drum and the threaded element, to elevate the platform and pile of papers, a ratchet at the upper end of the screw, a pawl cooperating with the ratchet, a reciprocal sliding element normally engaging the topmost paper in the pile, guides for guiding the sliding element in a horizontal plane to eject the topmost paper, elevate the same and return the slide to normal position, means for reciprocating the slide to elect a paper, and returning the slide to initial position, and a pivoted arm extending from the pawl and engaging the topmost paper to release the pawl from the ratchet when the slide is reciprocated to eject assaoes the topmost paper to permit the platform and pile of pwp rs to be elevated.

2. A paper dispensing machine comprising a platform for ,upporting a pile of papers, a reciprocal element to engage and eject the topmost pa per in the pile, guides to guide the element in a horizontal plane when reciprocated in one direction and elevate the element and guide it in I a horizontal plane when reciprocated in the opposite direction and lower it to its initial position,

means to operate the reciprocal element to eject after the paper has been elected.

3. A paper dispensing machine as defined in claim 2, wherein a frame is provided, and wherein the means engaging the mutilated gear comprises a shaft, a ratchet secured tn the shaft, a gear freely mounted on the shaft to engage the mutilated gear, a pawl pivoted on the ratchet to engage the gear, a lug on the frame, a second pawl pivoted on the frame, one end of which is adapted to engage the ratchet and the other end is normally in engagement with a pin on the lever, whereby when the shaft is rotated the pawl on the ratchet will engage the lug and disengage said pawl from the gear and the pin on the lever will permit the second-mentioned pawl to rock and engage the ratchet on the shaft, disengaging of the pawl from the gear being timed to when the topmost paper in the pile has been ejected, and a handle to operate the shaft.

4. A paper dispensing machine, comprising a casing, means for supporting a pile of papers in the casing, means for elevating the pile of papers on the supporting means as the topmost paper in the pile is removed, a reciprocable element having paper gripping means initially engaging the topmost paper in the pile, a pair of guides mounted in the casing, each guide including a lower elongated slot and amupper shorter slot, the opposite ends of the upper slot inclining and merging into the lower elongated slot, lugs extending upwardly from the reciprocal element, pintles extending from the lugs-and fitting in the guides, and means for reciprocating the reciprocal element in the guides, includinga lever pivoted to the element.

5. A paper dispensing machine as defined in claim 4, wherein a flat spring is provided at the forward junction of the lower and upper guide slots to guide the pintles to the upper slot, and a spring at the opposite junction of the upper and lower guide slots to bridge the junction of the slots after the pintles are guided into the lower slots.

6. A paper dispensing machine as defined in claim 4, wherein the means for elevating the pile of papers includes a screw and a ratchet, and a pivotally mounted pawl normally in engagement with the ratchet to prevent rotation of the screw, the pawl having extended arms provided with rollers which engage the topmost paper in the pile, whereby when a paper is removed and the pile of papers is diminished the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet and the screw is rotated, and means for rotating the screw.

7. A paper dispensing machine as defined in claim 4, wherein the means for elevating the pile of paper includes a platform, a screw, a nut on the platform with which the screw engages, a

spring-actuated cable to raise the nut and rotate the screw, and a pawl and ratchet associated with the screw to prevent rotation of the screw after the pile of papers are elevated.

8. A paper dispensing machine comprising a casing, a platform on which papers are piled, a nut extending from the platform, a vertically disposed screw engaging the nut, a cable extending from the nut and over a pulley, a springactuated drum for pulling the cable to elevate the nut and rotate the screw, a ratchet on the upper end of the screw, a reciprocal element initially engaging the topmost paper in the pile, a cable and spring tending to hold the reciprocal element in its initial position, lugs extending from the reciprocal element, pintles extending from the lugs, guides with which the pintles engage, said guides including upper and lower slots, the upper slots merging into and communicating with the lower slots, means connected to the reciprocal element to pull said element forward to feed a paper from the pile and release same at the forward junction points of the upper and lower guides, and a pivoted pawl engaging the ratchet, said pawl having extensions with end rollers to engage the topmost paper in the pile, whereby to disengage the pawl from the ratchet to free the screw when a paper is ejected from the pile.

9. A paper dispensing machine as defined in claim 8, wherein the casing is provided with an opening through which ejected papers pass, and wherein a spring lip extends from. the bottom wall of the opening and engages the pile of papers, and a pivoted gate engaging the spring lip to close the opening.

\ .10. A paper dispensing machine comprising a cabinet having an exit opening, means for supporting a pile of papers, means for feeding the pile of papers upwardly as the topmost paper is removed, a reciprocal paper removing element initially engaging the topmost paper in the pile, guides for guiding the element in the direction of the paper exit opening, said guides including lower elongated slots and upper shorter slots merging with the lower elongated slots .at the forward ends and the opposite ends merging with the elongated slots at points in advance of the rear ends of the lower-most slots, means for reciprocating the element in one direction to eject the topmost paper through the opening, and means for reciprocating the element in the opposite direction and guided by the upper slots and returning the element in initial position at the ends of the lower slots beyond the rear junction of the upper and lower slots, whereby the topmost paper in the pile is moved rearwardly a distance equal to the distance between the rear junction of the upper and lower slots and the rear ends of the lower elongated slots.

11. A paper dispensing machine, comprising a casing, including a platform to hold a pile of papers, a nut extending from the platform, a screw engaging the nut, a ratchet on the end of the screw, a pawl engaging the ratchet, a spring-actuated drum for elevating the nut to 1'0- tate the screw, a reciprocating element engaging the topmost paper in the pile, means for operating the element in one direction to eject the topmost paper, means for operating the element in the opposite direction to engage the next succeeding paper in the pile, the pawl having arms with rollers engaging the tdpmost paper in the pile to disengage the pawl to free the screw to elevate the platform and pile of papers when the top paper is elected.

12. A paper dispensing machine as defined in claim 11, wherein, the casing is provided with an opening for ejection of a paper, and vertical guides are provided at the sides and rear of the platform, means for adjustably mounting the rear guides to permit the reciprocating element to push the topmost paper in the pile beyond the rear edge of the pile when said element is returned to its initial position, a resilient lip extending from the bottom of the opening to engage the front of the paper next the top paper in the pile, and an inclined closure for the opening, said closure serving to prevent reinsertion of the paper once it is ejected through the opening.

13. A paper dispensing machine comprising a casing, a platform for carrying a pile of papers in the casing, means for elevating the platform as a paper is withdrawn from the top of the pile,

, engage the ratchet on the shaft, the opposite end 8 of the latter pawl normally engaging a pin extending from the arm to hold the ratchet engaging end of said pawl out of engagement with the ratchet, and a second pin extending from. the casing to be engaged by an extension formed on one end of the first-mentioned pawl, whereby to dissengage said first-mentioned .pawl from the gear at the time the topmost paper is ejected to permit the spring to return the shaft to norm position for a subsequent operation.

LELAND C. GRAHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,033,951 Sargent July 30, 1912 1,374,303 I Kleidman Apr. 12, 1921 1,689,729 Kelly Oct. 30, 1928 1,794,208 Scott Feb. 24, 1931 2,076,186 Reynolds et al Apr. 6, 1937 2,233,472 Demarest Mar. 4, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 499,893 Great Britain Jan. 31, 1939 

